On Friday, March 11th the National Advisory Council for Minority Business Enterprises (NACMBE), convened for its inaugural meeting at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. The meeting was led by David Hinson, National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, and NACMBE Chairs, Mark Hoplamazian, Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Janice-Savin Williams, Founder of Williams Capital. Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, as well as International Trade Administration Under Secretary, Francisco Sanchez welcomed the council members. Read Meeting Minutes

COMMITTEE'S OFFICIAL DESIGNATION. National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise.

AUTHORITY. The National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise (NACMBE) is being established as a discretionary advisory committee in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App.2), and with the concurrence of the General Services Administration. This charter establishes the NACMBE in the Department of Commerce (the Department), within the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).

Advisory council appointees represent a broad range of industries including technology, energy, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, construction and consulting, and vary from small businesses to multinational corporations.

The Secretary of Commerce has established a National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise to provide advice to the Administration on key issues pertaining to the growth and global competitiveness of the nation’s minority-owned and operated corporations.

The Council will undertake matters to provide advice and develop recommendations to the President through the Secretary of Commerce on a broad range of domestic and international issues that concern minority businesses including but not limited to:

Developing strategies and polices to position minority-owned firms to compete in the global economy